Wake Forest vs. ECU

[Kath215]

Hi,

I'm a NC resident and I'm currently deciding between Wake Forest and ECU for the class of 2008. I'm an undergrad at Wake now so I'm familiar with the school, love the med school and its curriculum, and think I'd be the happiest there, but I can't decide if it's worth an extra $100,000+ in debt/loans. ECU is cheap, but I'm not sure I want to go into primary care, which is its emphasis....Any advice would be very much appreciated! Is it worth it to sacrifice Wake's reputation for a much cheaper medical education?

Thanks so much!

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[Seaglass]

Just because a school emphasizes primary care really has nothing to do with what you can go into after school. For example, Penn State has a primary care emphasis but less than 10% of our class will be going into primary care. You should pick the school where you will be happier and do better.

C

 

[Circadian Man]

I, too, battled with whether or not Wake Forest is worth the extra money over my state school. I spoke with a lot of doctors who insisted that I should save my money because it would matter very little in the long run where I went to medical school provided that I work hard and get a good residency. Ultimately, however, I decided to go where I thought I would be happiest, regardless of price. I loved Wake Forest when I interviewed, and I decided that I would probably be more motivated and successful wherever I was happiest. I admit that the additional cost is daunting, but what better to spend your money on than your education? Good luck with your decision, and perhaps I will see you in a few months!

 

[quideam]

Same dilemma over here.... my state school (RWJ) vs. UPitt. I love everything about Pitt much more than RWJ - except the cost. Current docs also told me to just go wherever is cheapest. In the end, I have decided on Pitt - I know that I'll be unhappy at RWJ, and med school is difficult enough without being at a school you'll dislike. Good luck with your decision!

 

[wickliffe2]

Save your money...you are already spending enough going to Wake for undergrad...I just transfered from Wake. Are there any other options you could consider besides just these two?

 

[Fermata]

Both are good schools.

You may like ECU's small class size and cheap price. It seems to put out happy doctors. I suggest you drop SweetTea a pm since she's a M2 there.

Wake Forest is right beside the beautiful Applachian Trail. It also has a good basketball team.

You can't go wrong either way.

 

[theodorelogan]

Money is important, but there are a ton of ways to pay it off, or have it paid off...if you like wake and want to stay in winston, don't worry about money. alternatively, don't think your future will be limited if you go to ECU, the program gets better every year and they place people in all kinds of residencies...of course, i know the stigma attached to ECU in NC, being a north carolinian myself, but this is a decision you gotta make and not worry about what people think.

i am in a similar situation, deciding between unc and wake. i think it is going to be unc, but i still have a few weeks to second-guess myself.
good luck in your decision!

 

[phdmed07]

Congrats on both of your acceptances! Im getting ready to wrap up M1 year and ECU in about 3 wks. I love it here. The class is small and everyone is pretty tight. You cant beat the price of the med school here. Sure the emphasis is on primary care but you can do anything you want! Trust me, the 2500 tuition is AMAZING!